A series of explosions involving pagers used by Hezbollah members occurred across Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of at least nine people and injuries to 2,750, according to Lebanese security services and the health ministry. The blasts, which started around 3:30 PM local time and lasted for about an hour, predominantly impacted those using the communication devices.
Among the casualties was Mohammad Mahdi Ammar, son of Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar. Hezbollah also confirmed the deaths of two of its fighters. Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad reported that over 200 individuals are critically injured, with many suffering from wounds to the face, hands, and stomach. Iranian Ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was also injured in the incident.
Hezbollah has attributed the attack to Israel, referencing the ongoing tensions and exchanges of fire along the Lebanon-Israel border, which escalated following Hamas-led attacks on Israel in early October. Israeli officials have not commented on the accusation.
There is ongoing speculation regarding how the explosions were triggered, with some analysts suggesting that the pagers could have been tampered with either during production or through their communication network. Investigations are still underway to determine the precise cause of the explosions.